The Hatchling
by Hodor'sHeart
Summary: Her father sought the essence of eternal life. And in her own way, Kei seemed to as well.
1. Chapter 1: Kawa

_**The Hatchling**_

_**Chapter One: Kawa**_

* * *

She was very aware of the way her chest twinged. Her vision caverned, fading into focus of the misted figure before her. The bones of cheeks sharpened with what little light there was. He was her dreams.

Kei embraced the dark and closed her eyes.

* * *

Orochimaru closed the book shut, frustrated at the lack of details he could find about states of necrosis. Tsunade's small library contained journals upon thesis with notes on the living, diseases, and techniques but there was hardly anything containing after death experiences with the dead. The only pocket of information he could dig up were those from the ANBU units but their notes were structured around how to hide and destroy, those kinds of things.

It was then that he thought about the things he wanted to accomplish and the concern that what he wanted to do wouldn't be capable of doing inside the walls of Konoha. So upon that thought, he began planning. And that's where he met Ame.

As an orphan, you grow up not obtaining the social connections needed to flourish socially. Not to say that it's impossible because Orochimaru had seen it happen before but the man sometimes reflected on that time in his life and recognized how lonely it got sometimes. He never sought out the affection of others but approval was something different. Something to strive for. Ame was able to recognize this.

She was a priestess in the land of Kawa no Kuni. He laid in her arms months later, surrounded by the peace of rustling trees. They met in a small border town, while he marveled at the shire in between missions. He had been thinking how he preferred a warmer climate, more so like the one back in Konoha but that it was nice and quiet here. Like nothing particular ever happened to cause a stir. There was an uneasiness when he left Konoha and you could feel it in the aura of the shinobi. They felt the inkling of war beginning to shift into their daily lives, more so than usual when you were enemies with surrounding states. Kawa no Kuni had no affiliation to anyone and thus, became a suitable area to begin work. It was just by chance that Ame had arrived in his line of vision.

Ame was a perceptive woman with long wavy hair tucked underneath her headpiece. It was like she could feel his intentions the moment they met but wasn't so bothered by the way he questioned her, or when he snooped in places he shouldn't. Orochimaru liked the way she held her superstitions and the way she was open for conversation. He thought Shamans were all alike. At first, he thought she was a Miku, acclimated to looking after the shrine and their patrons. She thought of him as maliciously brilliant and that they both liked snakes. Him, for his summons, their regenerative abilities and her, for the connotations they held with the old gods. Umbilical cords. Life. Sentient beings that were linked to everything.

Their paths crossed often and in secret, as to not draw attention from prying eyes. Mainly when he was sent out by the old man on missives for the war. Both of them had a sort of understanding that did not need to be aired. His summons enjoyed her company and the small cutlets she snuck them when she thought he wasn't paying attention. They liked to visit and hunt down the mice that hosted the shire. He loved the way she smelled when she slept. They had their home and he had his first base. It was small, but it made him content among the chaos of his life.

He told no soul when they married, or when his child was born. Lord Manda had been informed ahead of time and noted how "wriggly the hatchling is." Ame's delivery was smooth for a first-timer. He remembered helping her dry herself as she held such awe for their daughter. She was _loud_, that was for sure.

"Oro, look!" Ame hissed, her whispers soothing the child. She motioned to the patch of hair on the child's head, still wet from the mucus, a subdued gold. "It's like someone dropped caramel on her head..."

It was a gross comparison but he knew what she meant. She was tiny and they named her Kei. Kei for the Judas trees that lined the edges of the temple, those that smelled like caramel.

He remembered during those first few weeks, of him reflecting on his own childhood. He never had a father of sorts, the closest he could liken someone of that figure would be the old man but even then it wasn't a fatherly kind of relationship. Ame was gentle with his hesitation.

"Nobody is a father the minute they're informed." She quipped a couple of days after the birth when she pushed Kei into his arms so that she could have a bath alone.

He held his emotions close to his chest and made promises in his head. It was a start and it was just them. The notion of time because irrelevant under that roof.

* * *

Kei learned early on in her life that one could alter their state of consciousness to open themselves to new possibilities. Often, they were the ones that the other villagers weren't open to hearing. By doing so, she was never alone, despite being physically.

Ame had noticed how Kei leaned back while she held her, staring at the roof as if someone had been there. Then came the crying at night. She tried telling Orochimaru that it was normal for kids to be scared of something in their life and that it was their job as doting parents to guide her. Orochimaru decided it became a nightly problem when Kei ran into their room every night for a week, crying that: "_There was a scary man at the end of my bed."_

Ame taught Kei the way her own mother had taught her about different planes in existence. Their family had been caretakers of the shrine for lifetimes and those who weren't ready stuck around sometimes. Kei was more attuned to emotions that she or Orochimaru was.

Orochimaru didn't recognize the description of the man she kept talking about until he went to flay the man on his medical table in the basement. To actually think that his child could vividly recount details of the dead, down to the freckles on the corpse's shoulders was _fascinating._ Though he promised Ame he wouldn't get Kei involved in his experiments since that was the unspoken rule in the house. None of his drama was meant to come up into the main house or shrine. Ame thought that the sage and symbols they wrote on the basement walls would keep the spirits at bay. And it did.

Kei knew she probably shouldn't lie to the people that loved and fed her. She didn't want them to worry about her, seeing as she rarely saw her father as it was and didn't want to spend that time fretting over something so small. Her mother had taken her to the side one afternoon after she had woken up from a nap.

"Do you get nightmares, Kei-chan?"

Her eyes were a soft grey reflecting years of loneliness. The woman had spent her entire life at the shire to attend to her duties, lapping up the stories that Orochimaru brought home. He had tried to visit them on and off for the past three years, while the war was in full swing. Ame saw a lot of herself in her daughter; the caramel hair, the splodges of freckles all over her body, her preferences for more traditional clothing. (Though, Kei would always be grateful for whatever Orochimaru brought home when he made one of his visits.) She had his face shape, and his eyes: something he was proud of, though he would never say something like that. Ame just knew.

"No mother," Kei whispered, pulling the quilt higher, to her neck. "They only come when you're not here."

Ame climbed into her daughter's futon, letting her baby girl resting on her lap. She gathered Kei's small hands in her own and smelled the back of her head. "The next time you see one that isn't nice, cover your eyes and say: _I rescind you._"

Kei twisted her head. "But I don't want to hurt them…." She turned back, curling a squidgy hand around her mother's thumb. "I-I know they don't mean to be mean!"

Ame rolled her eyes. "Do you think they will be as lenient? Not all spirits will be your friend."

Kei stopped talking for a while after their conversation that day, her eyes glancing at the corner of the lounge every now and then. He was still there when Ame left.

The decision to move was one that had been thought through with disdain on Ame's part. There had been the small fishing town not too far from the shrine that had been attacked and burned to the ground. In the weeks following the chaos, Ame had overworked herself in funerals that had been directed towards her by the remaining survivors. It was not safe to live there anymore, and it broke her soul.

They stored their prized possessions into storage scrolls that had been left behind from Orochimaru's last visit. Soon, the pickup team would arrive from Konohagakure to take them to safety, to their beloved. Straying from the normal grind gave Ame massive anxiety but peace was what Ame had hoped for Kei. To not see the savageries of war.

Not wanting to dawn on such thoughts, Ame continues her packing as Kei slept upstairs.

The pair unknowingly being watched by the eyes in the bushes. They were sitting animals.

* * *

Obito was set on getting to the gate on time this morning. Or at least, with time to spare. Lord Hokage had called the team along with Minato-Sensei to assign another mission to them, though they had only gotten back from guarding some traders against bandits into Konoha two days ago. To his surprise, Lord Orochimaru, the _legend,_ was in the room as well! He heard the battle stories from his grandmother about the trio: about their powers and the fights against foes from across the sea. He hoped to see what the sea was like one day.

He noted that the man that his grandmother had described to him and the man who was leaning back into the seat, arms crossed seemed like two different individuals. On the one hand, this guy felt dangerous and yet, it was like he need not worry because he was the prodigy student of the Third Hokage.

Their mission was simple but when Obito sat down to eat dinner with his grandmother and brother, he really thought about how strange it felt. In short terms, they were meant to escort a mother and her child from their home in Kawa to Orochimaru's home in Konoha. To everyone - save Orochimaru and Lord Hokage's - surprise, this mother and child was Orochimaru's family. A family that had been born outside of Konoha. Obito was sure he had read somewhere that having a child, let alone a relationship, outside of the village was a breach of compliance. On top of that, a breach of village security.

He wasn't too sure what caused the sour look on the Sanin's face when the mission was explained to him: so maybe that was the reason.

"Oh, o-oh _no!_" Obito yelled, looking at his wristwatch. "I-I'm late again!"

Seeing as it was the early morning, there was hardly any foot traffic, so with the luck of the lottery, Obito somehow managed to get to the gates with minutes to spare. He could feel Kakashi's gaze burn his face.

Noticing that the last member of the team had turned up before dawn, Minato clapped his hands together with enthusiasm and motioned towards the gate. "Great, let's get a move on then. If we leave now, we can get to Kawa in two days!"

Winter had made itself home in Kawa, the winds a much more bitter kind of cold than what Obito had been used to. They had been warned to pack their winter gear and he was thankful that he had listened to Minato this time. For almost a day and a half, the snowfall had been torrential. He wondered, seeing as how the pickup spot was close to the sea if the sea itself would freeze over.

As soon as Minato's pace halted, Rin's gasp directed him to look towards the sky. A trail of dark smoke plumed from amongst the forest, where the shrine was supposed to be.

Washes of red coloured the untouched snow, melting it in the process. The small home had been set alight and the surrounding area was damaged severely. Broken trees, glass from the window panes shattered into the dirt.

"S-Sensei?" Rin shouted, pointing to an area to the right of Kakashi. There remained a set of old, limestone stairs ascended into the mountain. He glanced over it at first, until a stream of stagnant crimson pooled down a step and stained all it touched. "...O-Oh my…"

No words could escape Rin's mouth to the sight that presented itself. It felt like a stage show, dramatic. Dismembered limbs scattered themselves all the way up the staircase, positioned as if someone was crawling down. First, lay a hand, and then a few meters up a forearm, and then another hand, fingerless.

_Who is that?_ Minato through, immediately on edge.

"Keep calm!" Minato ordered. "Be aware of your surroundings. Kakashi, summon one of your trackers. Rin, come with me. Obito, check around the property for anyone."

Rin nodded, and followed her Sensei up the mountain, running up beside the steps, the bloodied mud staining their cloaks. It soon became apparent that there was no head or torso to be found and to Obito's yelling, nobody was present around the property.

It was a matter of minutes before they had a lead.

"Over here!" Obito yelled, guiding the group towards the back of the house. Near the back door that led into the kitchen, a window had been torn off of its hinges; scattered scrolls, bedsheets, children's robes, and blood littered the area leading up to the stairs and away from the house.

Kakashi knelt down to one of the sheets and motioned to the small, pudgy puppy. Obito had never seen this one before. Gruffly, the puppy sniffed and in a grouchy tone, declared that the scent belonging to the clothes went away from the temple and headed towards the other side of the valley, towards the mouth of the mountain.

The pit in Obito's stomach grew that little bit heavier. He thought of his family and found resolve in the confidence of his teammates. He kept up behind Minato, every now and then checking their backside.

"He's the entrance," Kakashi said, landing at the foot of the gaping hole in the mountain's crest.

Rin tried to swallow her nervousness. "Do you think she'll be there?"

"We have to check it out," Minato replied. "Let's go but tread carefully."

* * *

Kei woke up with a jolt. In the haze of her waking up, she realized that this was not _her_ bed, nor was this _her_ room, but a small cage that sat in a dark cave lit only by candles on the nearby desk. With her, was the quilt from her bed, a gift from Ame. The cage could maybe fit another person her size, but that was hardly any room at all. And it was firmly locked. In between the light of the candles, Kei could see the blue in her toes that poked out of the ends of her pants.

_What would father do?_ She wondered, gulping down the fear in her chest. She wasn't brave like her mother, or strong like her father. _Where is mother?_

Her mother would know what to do. She always did.

_**The table**_**.**

Kei's eyes drifted over to the table. She couldn't see over the top of it without bumping her head on the roof of the cage. But maybe….. She hoped her mother wouldn't tell her off too much for dirtying her favourite quilt. Kei threw the end out of the bars, managing to hook one of the legs. Then, Kei placed her feet on the bars and pulled with all of her might.

The table jiggled but did not move towards her. She tried again and after another, hard pull, a senbon fell from the table, rolling just within her reach. Her heart jumped at the sound of the senbon hitting the ground. She watched the door like a hawk and then, once her heart had settled in her stomach, reached for the senbon.

Kei felt her mother's presence around her hands and then, on the lock. She didn't want to think about why she could feel her mother, couldn't bear thinking about it. Small tears streaked her freckled face as she jammed the senbon into the lock. A hollow hand guided hers, jimmying the lock open. The door swung and clanged against its hinges.

_**Follow.**_

The voice of her mother was guiding her. Kei had learned that at first, spiritual energy is first and foremost feelings, smells and the imprint of their voices. The older the spirit remained tied to the earth, the more they were able to flesh out their form. That's why her mother wouldn't let her participate in the funeral ceremonies.

The trail was faint and Kei could hardly feel where she was needed to go. The smell of body fluids bugged her senses and made it more difficult to - _**FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS.**_

Kei struggled to stay focused.

She followed her energy down hallways, trying to be as quiet as a mouse, checking in every room she could. Some rooms had lingering spirits, ones who couldn't let go of their physical forms just yet. They just hovered, backs turned to her and absorbed in their own depraved thoughts. Kei skidded on feet when she almost passed another hallway one that had thick, viscous blood that smeared the floor and walls, entering into an open room.

Aversion spiked into her legs, ribcage shuddering in tune to her racing heartbeat. Her mind screamed a feral _no_, her unwillingness to advance further evident in the choking sobs seeping through Kei's throat.

**HIDE.**

She shook her head at the voice's insistence.

"_No,"_ She whispered, watching her breath appear right in front of her nose. "_I don't want to go in there…"_

Kei twisted her head to the left, towards the oncoming voices. Without a second hesitation, her body moved of its own accord. Her feet carried her to the door, despite her willing herself to _not._

* * *

"What do you mean you lost the fucking kid?"

The tealette shook his head in pure honesty, his boss's temper growing by the minute. The plan at the temple went off-course, as when they snatched the child from her bedroom, the group ended up being chased down by the she-demon that he presumed was the mother. They lost two comrades inside the house after the property erupted in a billowing cloud of flames. What went down was nothing like the intel that was given. It was supposed to be a civilian mother and child, with a traveling father who they planned to be away when the kidnapping took place.

It didn't end in a total loss for the group. They were able to strip some of the female's internal organs for resale when they docked back into port Kamikawa. Genji made the crude comment that the thighs could be used to feed the orphans at the dock, as they were ravenous for pieces of food. The war-affected every bit of life and that could scrounge up some yen for the right person.

"The cage has been emptied, the lock picked." Kaoru reinforced, standing his ground. "No doubt the girl did this by herself, and I doubt she would be able to get past the twins. I just thought I should inform you before I go retrieve her."

The man grunted.

"You fucking better, or we won't have any cargo to sell" His boss retorted, sitting back down in the aged chair. The smoke from his cigarette clung to the air and outside, the sky began to seep.

* * *

Kakashi ducked under an arm swipe and jabbed his kunai in the armpit of his attacker, puncturing the left lung. It was quick enough and had the nin off his guard, allowing him to pull the kunai away and slash his throat in one wave. It was over very quickly for the man as he ended up drowning in his own blood.

He paused to eye the cave. They had come across barely anybody through these cave systems but it was clear to everyone here what the uses of these facilities were. They had been set up as a halfway system between manufacturing body parts for smugglers to sell elsewhere. He wondered if it had been just bad luck that the family had been situated not too far from the site.

He tch'd and chased a hesitant nin into one off the off-shooting corridors, hearing his team finish off those who were left. He skidded around the corner, just catching the nin making his way around another path.

An exhaled breath stopped him from chasing. He could hear the small yelp and then the sound of someone trying to hold their breath.

His feet took him to the room where the sound came from. He saw the blood from under the door before seeing the inside of the room.

It was a terrible throw but it wasn't a normal day when Kakashi could say he had to dodge a rolling head. The hair brushed the sides of his face in blood like warpaint before he turned to look at the corner of the room. Strangely, a small child held herself in a defensive position, curled up right into the corner.

She looked feral. Her immediate reaction when he didn't make any sudden movements was to throw whatever was closest without taking her eyes off of him: that just happened to be a severed arm.

"Calm down,'' He said, letting the arm hit him and flop to the ground. Her breathing was uneven. The ends of her hair were dipped in blood as if she had tried to make herself as inconspicuous in a room of bloodied bodies.

The girl paused and then softened her stance. He could still feel the fear reel off of her. He couldn't step closer to her, it would only make her unwillingness more evident.

"Are you Kei?" Kakashi asked, hoping that if he talked to her she would be more willing to cooperate. The girl sniffed loudly. He was close enough to see the dryness of her lips. Maybe she would talk. "My name is Kakashi."

After another pause, she whispered a scared "okay". It wasn't to announce her trust, but the fear had waned on her mental and physical state. She didn't say that it was her name but there was something there that let him know that she was who they were looking for. He expected a baby. She couldn't have been older than four.

He held out a hand as he crouched to her eye level. He heard a drip hit the ground from a nearby table. Kei eyed the gloved hand and then his eyes. She paused as if having a conversation in her head and then nodded, tentatively creeping her way towards him.

The scream of a male echoed through the cave and both of their heads shot in that direction. Kakashi looked back at her as she was in her trance. He took the executive decision to scoop her up. He apologized in a whisper, tucking her close.

He felt her fear slowly ebb away. He thought that because she had been so worked up to attack him that maybe that was the last of her energy. The girl reached her arms around his neck and hid her face.

By the time he got back to the main hall, Rin was healing a gash on her leg. Obito and Minato had noticed the small bundle in his arms. She almost engulfed his body with her hug.

"Is that the kid?" Obito shouted.

"Be quiet, will you? You'll wake her up," Kakashi shifted the girl in his arms. "Minato-sensei, I found her as I was chasing down one of the foreign nin. He got away."

Minato nodded, looking at the carnage around him. "For now, that will have to do. The backup team can chase whoever is left down. Now…"

The blond man eyed Kei with a concerned bite on his lower lip. He and Orochimaru had spoken before, in the presence of the Hokage, about this, his secret family. There was the issue of the body that remained near the shrine. It fitted the description of his lover so that left Kei as the sole survivor.

Regardless of being a child, she would still have to go through the proper processes of integration as to what happened. His concern was the kids and getting Kei back in what state she currently was in. He thought Kakashi looked quite motherly at that moment and he smiled to himself.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed.

"Let me check her," Rin said, stepping forward with glowing hands.

Minato shook his head once. "We should get out of here, I think. We're still in enemy territory. Then you can check her over."

It was almost morning by the time the group reached back to where the shrine was. Kei heard someone say to close her eyes, that she doesn't need to see what's happening. Minato takes it upon himself to collect what's left of the girl's mother to sort out for burial. Luckily, he had a spare storage scroll with him.

He had finished collecting the body when his head darted to the trees behind him, near where the rest of the team were.

_Shit._

The Sand nin were out in the clearing by the time Minato had zapped back to the others. It was particularly bad timing to find themselves confronted by those on the opposite side of the war, on a not-the-war-mission nonetheless. There was three nin who eyed the situation, clearly unimpressed with that was occurring. Minato admitted to himself that it looked bad, certainly.

"What are you doing out here, Yellow-Flash?" The tallest one said, spitting out the collective phlegm buildup. The winter had brought a nasty bout of respiratory infections for both sides and for the Suna nin, as they were used to warmer climates, it meant that a lot of their forces suffered while out in battle. At home, where it was hot, the virus couldn't survive outside of the body for long.

Obito and Kakashi stood in a defensive stance, ready to reach for any weapons if the time called for it while Rin took Kei from Kakashi. With her hands full, she wouldn't be able to defend herself.

"We were asked by a Konoha Citizen to escort his family to Konoha to escape from the war." Minato indicated to the house, which was beginning to lose its fiery momentum, petering into smolders under the snowfall. "When we arrived, we found the premises like this, and the child taken. With her mother dead, we're taking her back to Konoha."

The woman scoffed. "That's a lie if I've ever heard one! Do you think we were born yesterday?"

The tall man glared at his companion in a silent _shut up_ kind of look. The arguing roused Kei and she watched as the groups bickering soured.

"I want to go," Kei whimpered as she watched her home collapse into rubble. "I want father."

"We'll get there soon," Rin told her, trying to keep the situation calm. She was worried about the claims they faced from the Suna nin. Technically, Suna had invaded a good portion of Kawa but she wasn't sure where jurisdiction fell in wartimes. "Be as quiet as you can, Kei-chan."

"You can check the cave system, just down there. We didn't know what happenings took place while we were coming here. All that is clear is that Kawa is a couple of smugglers down and we are at a standstill.,"

There were unspoken words in this conversation. Minato had no time to talk. If anything came off wrong, it would give Suna an excuse to attack Konoha, a supposed retaliation.

The leader of the trio eyed the situation, clicking his tongue. He too seemed at a standstill, not willing to attack so suddenly as his counterpart. His and Minato's eyes met and held for what seemed like a minute too long.

Minato nodded in silence and ordered a retreat of the team.

* * *

"Are you seriously still carrying that?" Rin asked, when she saw what Obito had pulled out of his rucksack. All Kakashi could do was shake his head in disbelief.

Kei watched on while sitting next to Minato. They had stopped about three hours out from Konoha to have a break. Minato was certain that they hadn't been followed, but because of the events of the past day and night, the group had been underprepared and thus, their energy supplies were low.

Obito got down to her eye level. She liked his loud colours.

"This is my brother's!" He proclaimed, handing Kei a small stuffed animal. The toy dog was ever so soft. Kei gave a small smile, thankful to have something of a comfort. Obito, in turn, smiled widely at his win. "He gave it to me to give me strength when I'm not feeling so brave on missions! But I think you need him more than I do."

Kei petted the dog's head.

"Thank you. I love it. " She said, clear as day and probably the most words she had said to anyone so far.

It was a small gift but it meant a lot.

* * *

Kei marveled in awe at how big the entrance gate to Konoha was, stating that," Man, I haven't ever seen a _tree_ that big!"

Her boost in mood made Minato feel a bit better about the circumstance. He had sent the rest of the team off on approved leave ahead of their arrival, for his meeting with the Hokage was meant to be something witnessed by few eyes.

"You ready to see your dad?" He asked the little girl, as she smelled the aroma wafting from the food vendors. "I bet he's missed you."

That drew a pause, and she withdrew once again into thought. Minato cursed at himself. She was easy to set off in trances, especially with trauma so fresh. Kei nodded.

She was aware of how others stared as the duo made their way to the office. Maybe this man was famous? Mother often told stories of where father came from, though he was never the type to sit her down and tell stories when she asked. Just having his presence at home was enough with what little time they had together. Kei pondered on her new predicament and thought out loud; "huh, it's just us now."

Minato didn't comment and Kei continued to point out every new thing she saw while clutching the stuffed dog. The town was mid-swing for the up and coming lantern festival, so the streets were packed and so, the blond took the route across the rooftops instead.

Kei could feel him in the room before they slid into the window. He had the same tone when he sat out on the verandah outback when it was summertime. They used to share lemon water.

Orochimaru, much to the disdain of himself, stayed near the Hokage's office when word came back that a day mission at the most had turned into two days because of unforeseen events. What was said in that missive sickened him. He wasn't afraid to say that much.

He opened his eyes to see Kei jumping off of Minato's shoulders to bound over to him, just like she always did when he would arrive home. She clung like a shellfish.

Without wanting more upset, Minato handed over the scroll, the Third watching the object was on fire, It shouldn't have surprised him that he had a family but the fact did. To only have it torn apart, the old man wondered in a billow of smoke if his student would react any different when his child made herself present. By the looks of things, he would be the same.

Orochimaru took the scroll and nodded at the men. He unhooked Kei from his legs and said quietly, "We're leaving now."

That night they both slept on the same tatami mat and shared a blanket that was salvaged from the attack. And while Kei fell asleep to the scent of her mother, Orochimaru dreamed of Ame being torn apart.

* * *

**So, I wouldn't be surprised if you're wondering "hey, this feels familiar.." That's cause it is.**

**I wrote this during a time in my life where I was burnt out. I didn't like it for several reasons and on top of that, the dreaded writer's block got to me. But I had been dreaming about this story recently and decided to pick it up again. I wanted it this time to have chunkier chapters than what I'm used to. I want to push myself with what I write. **

**So here it is. I hope you enjoy what I write.**

**Thanks xxx**

**Also, screw line breaks. I don't think I'll ever stop hating how they won't stay in one place. **


	2. Chapter 2: A New Home

_**The Hatchling**_

_**Chapter 2 - A New Home**_

* * *

Kei rescinded her feet back under the blanket, wishing away the cold. The morn trickled through under the doorframe. Kei shifted around so that the blanket created a cocoon around her body. Kei stood slowly underneath the creaking of the floor. She was dressed in a shirt that was one size too big for her liking and socks that itched at her feet. Maybe she had put them on during the night? Mother had mentioned that Konoha had a different kind of wind than Kawa.

_Her teeth dyed in blood._

_Metallic clashing echoed through the cave, under the sounds of exertion._

_She struggled._

Her hand worked its way up from rubbing the sleep out of her eyes to feeling the bird's nest that became of her hair. No longer content with thoughts of her own, Kei stood - still with her cocoon on - and shuffled out the door, careful to not bump into anything.

Despite being quite a fairly large house, inside it felt small with its barren walls. Her Father was more of a minimalist than Mother had been.

Orochimaru failed to close the door to the bathroom the last time it was used. The room had been fitted with a modern feel than what Kei was used to. The bath was a polished white, that functioned at the same time with a shower: something they didn't have access to in Kawa.

She had to stand on the toilet seat to reach the storage mirror. Inside, Kei knew she would find - at the very least - a comb or a brush. A black fine-toothed comb sat inside a cup on the shelf. Holding the comb brought back memories of when her mother would brush his hair for him while he read. Sometimes she would trace the kanji with her fingers in the ones he wasn't reading.

"What are you doing?"

Kei jumped and hissed, hitting a knot at the ends of her hair. Orochimaru had snuck up on the young girl after he had heard the padding of footsteps down the hallway. He wasn't too surprised to see her standing on the sink basin like it was a stepstool. He'd caught her before climbing a bookcase in order to reach something she thought looked interesting.

"Brushing my hair," Kei replied, her face scrunching as she hit another knot. She glanced at his uniform, one she had seen many times and then back at his face, handing him the comb.

"Here," He scooped her up and took Kei into the kitchenette that opened onto the lounge area. Scrolls littered the coffee table. It looked as if he had been working before she rose. He cleared a space for her on the countertop and began smoothing out her hair. She smiled at him before facing the other way. "Here we go..."

As Orochimaru brushed, Kei sat, staring out into the garden. The snow in Konoha was quick to melt the closer it got to waning into the spring months. She thought of home.

"Father?"

Orochimaru paused his brushing," Yes?"

"What's going to happen now?"

Kei had always been an inquisitive child, interested in everything, how they worked, what _he_ was doing… He knew that with a mind like that, Orochimaru knew it was only a matter of time before trouble turned up at his doorstep.

"You know your mother will never come back, right? What else is there to do, Kei, than to move on."

Kei frowned. The comb moved more freely through her hair. He continued. "I'm taking you to the hospital today to meet with a doctor. The Hokage has asked that you do this."

"But why?" Kei questioned.

Orochimaru placed the comb down. "He is concerned about what..." He swallowed that bubble of emotion, thinking about Ame. "You have to understand Kei, the people here don't think the same way you do."

She pursed her lips. Kei glanced to the almost faded mist that sat out on the verandah. "What do you mean?"

The raven-haired man drew in another pained breath and lowered his head so that it rested on top of Kei's own. He wished that he himself could be as mindfully ephemeral as her sometimes. Her way of thinking was independent of others and that's what he was afraid of. He couldn't let her get too far.

"You can't tell them," He said to her, in a tone so low she almost missed it completely. "These people who live here, they can't sense the things you can."

She tilted her head to the left, seeing her father's hair hanging around his face. His face was unreadable.

"So, Kei.…" Orochimaru's eyes met her own. The way his smile never reached his eyes made her uneasy like she needed to squirm.

"_Don't tell anyone._"

Kei nodded and shifted so that her back was facing him. Orochimaru tied up her hair in a ponytail and she slipped off the counter.

Their home laid in the northwestern side of the village where the river cut under the village walls. It was a bit of a walk in the snow but they were ahead of time. Kei watched a group of ninja train from afar, and Orochimaru explained how they were a team and how the village works.

They passed the small training grounds, the trees slowly dissipating into gated communities.

She watched as the guards took notice of Father and especially of the hand he held. Kei questioned that since they were a family if they counted as a clan. He said no.

Kei glanced at the various shops that lined the streets the closer one walked to the center of the village. The smell of cooked meat floated in the air as they passed the Achimichi clan, who owned most of the restaurants in that district. Painted ladies sat inside a rather larger teahouse, the snow gently falling on the banister that lined the property. It was all so…..._different._

Alive wouldn't be a close comparison. Trees were alive, as were humans. Maybe it was the tempo of life here that threw her off.

"Look!" She pointed, and Orochimaru followed her line of vision towards the mountain.

"Strange, isn't it?" He replied. "That's the way Konoha remembers those who govern them. You met the third yesterday."

"He was your sensei right?"

"_Is._" He corrected, after a moment. While it was true, they had all disbanded once they sought out different career paths to concentrate on. "Throughout the years, we still meet up now and then."

Orochimaru shrugged. "Though I don't know when that would occur. I haven't seen Tsunade in a while and Jiraiya remains to be outside of Konohagakure while the war continues."

Kei fell silent, absorbing what detail Father had offered up. It wasn't often that Orochimaru spoke to her directly about what his homeland, or what his family used to be like, it was more information that Mother leaked. She understood it was just him here like it was just her here.

* * *

She almost felt like chasing after him once he left through the glass doors. Orochimaru wasn't permitted - though, no caregiver was really - to remain in the office of Yamanaka Mon while he was in session with a client. Kei pushed back her bangs behind her ear. The hospital smelled sharply unpleasant and it bugged her to be left alone in such a strange place.

"Come with me," Mon instructed to the girl, remembering to be gentle, as with children this age who experienced dramatic trauma, they tended to be skittish. Kei eyed his hand. He watched her mind tick and then, she nodded down the hall as if to say, _"you go."_

_Not much of a talker, huh._ The duo walked through the hospital lobby and out into the courtyard, away from the crowds of people. His office wasn't located in the main hospital building but sad in the western wing of an offshoot building, designed for those who need attending to genjutsu or mental afflictions from battle. It wasn't every day that he was approached by the Hokage to take on a child client.

They arrived at the very last room down the hallway, and Mon closed the door. Kei felt such a warm presence with this room. She relaxed slightly, sitting up on the lounge chair with her knees tucked.

Mon had taken the time to focus on the details of the case before deciding to start treatment on the child as soon as possible. Today though was simply an introduction. He had removed any obstruction that may permit any deviation of trust-building. So no coffee table, no music. Only two lounge chairs on either side of his office and the sound of the clock ticking.

"Do you want anything to drink?" Mon asked, and when Kei shook her head, he poured himself a tea and then sat opposite her.

"So, welcome to my office, Kei."

She pulled her eyes off of the splitting terracotta pot, the plant getting too big for its' habitat. "It's very nice…."

_Good._ Mon thought, sipping from the cup. _She's not uptight or resistant. We have room to wiggle. _

"Now, I take it you know why you're here."

She shrugged, looking around the room. The dude really liked potted plants. Each one had a distinct smell. Kei knew that some were used to calm down the nerves while others warded off evil. While Kei thought the latter wasn't all that helpful, it was a tradition that Ame liked to keep to. Hence, why her robes smelled of sage.

"You were brought here one of our teams to reunite with your father, Lord Orochimaru. Upon the team finding your home in ruins, they tried to track you and your Mother down."

Kei heard the words in her head, replayed back to her. Mon continued. "Now my job at the hospital is to help people get better. Like a doctor, but to do with your mind instead of your body."

"Father calls them psychologists."

Mon smiled. "Oh, so you know that big word? Do you like to read?"

"I guess," Kei sniffed. "I mean, I do but I don't have any books no more."

"It's good that you remember your old home Kei. I'm here to help you with that. The Hokage has asked that maybe once a week we meet up, not always in this office, that we meet up to chat. We want to know everything that happened. Today, we'll start with what you freshly remember and go from there. Does that sound acceptable?"

She saw her Father's eyes in the window. It wouldn't be wise to stray from his words.

So in the end, Kei rustled her nose as she surmised and nodded. The fewer words exchanged, the better.

Their first of many sessions passed without an excessive amount of digging on Mon's part. They shared what interests caught their attention. What their families were like. (Mon said he had two siblings, a brother, and sister, both younger than himself. Kei considered herself happy to not have them herself. The responsibility seemed daunting.)

Attached to the side of the hospital is a children's recreation area, as well as a small, restricted training ground used for regenerating muscle strength. Mon thought it would be a great idea if they got out and went around the village, getting her assimilated with the vibe of the city. He had an inkling she was more attuned to herself than the normal child would be. But that might just be a heightened factor of her trauma. It was something he needed to discuss with her Father when they get the chance.

Kei tightened her grip on Nashi. That was the name she had given the stuffed dog, as the patch of white on his chest closely resembled the fruit that grew at the shrine.

Hardly anybody was currently out on the jungle gym, despite the snowfall lessening in the last hour to a small sprinkle every now and then. Kei sat on the swing, gripping the chains tightly, Nashi sitting on the sidelines. With each downward dive, she kicked the air, gaining more momentum.

"Hey!"

The sudden yelp caused Kei to lose her grip on the chain, her small frame slipping from the seat and into the air.

"No!," yelled the boy who had scared her, running to catch her. " I- I got you!"

His definition of "I got you" didn't really fit the way Kei flopped into him, the two children landed with a hefty thud onto the grass. While the boy groaned, Kei was quick to shuffle off of him, embarrassed and red in the face.

"Sorry, sorry!" She hissed, leaning over him "You scared me!"

"Remind me to not do that again," He moaned, rubbing the back of his head. He opened his eyes to see sharp eyes through the strands of her blond tendrils. He gracefully accepted when she offered her hand, pulling him up with ease. He was surprised to find that she stood a little bit taller than himself.

Kei offered him a warm smile. She hadn't interacted much with anyone here and without Father, Konoha seemed like a very strange, new place to be alone in. His aura was warm, like a blanket.

"Sorry that I startled you," He said, grinning right back at her. "I saw that Ponko was with you and was wondering how you got him."

"Ponko?" Kei muttered, looking in the direction the raven had pointed. "Oh, you mean Nashi. Obito gave him to me ..." She toddled over to the swingset and picked the toy up, rushing back to him. "I-Is he yours?"

The boy shrugged. "I mean, I gave him to my brother but if he gave him to you, it must have been for a really good reason!"

The end of the sentence came off as a half question and Kei chuckled to herself, a little uneasy. There hadn't been any children her age back in Ame, only older teens or young babies. And even then, her contact was limited. Mother didn't like to leave the shrine grounds.

Kei glanced at Nashi, swallowing her thoughts and nodded.

"Wanna play with me?" The kid asked, leaning in close to her. "I had to get my leg healed cause I stepped in a gopher hole while training but the doctors healed it really quickly, so I have time to spend here!"

Kei's ears perked at the notion of _playing with someone._ Her smile was blinding to the boy. She nodded furiously. "I'd love that."

"Great!" He chirped. "You got a name? Mine's Shisui!"

The blond nodded, soaking in his presence. "I am Kei."

The two became quick friends but whether that was due to Shisui's ability to socialize with others outside of the clan with ease or the way Kei was able to draw people in with her otherworldly soul, Obito wasn't quite sure. All that he really did discover about the pair was that in the time he had left to run an errand and arrived for Shisui's pick up from the clinic, they were blabbering away as if they had been friends for a long time.

"No way!" Shisui yelled, throwing his hands up in the air. It seemed that as quickly as they became friends, neither of them were afraid to state their opinions. "Minato is a great ninja!"

Kei's eyes rolled, her lips stretching thin. "I'm not saying he _isn't, _I just think Father is better."

"Obito! Tell her she's wrong!"

Obito shot his little brother a look between pity and penance. Minato was his beloved teacher and by that omission, he was biased in saying that Minato was his favourite pick. There had been only a handful of mentions from the blond's lips but was vying for the role of successor to the Third Hokage. It was no easy feat and Obito felt that if anybody suited the role, it was his teacher. Their team had been together for the past year and had made many strides. Their presence was like an extension of his arm. Helpful. Reliable. Close. They were like family.

"Kei."

All heads turned to the source of the new voice. Seeing Lord Orochimaru for a second time, in the flesh, didn't make that feeling in his stomach pass like it did the last time. It was a sort of uneasiness. But when he looked at Kei, he didn't see the same fear. She looked as if she was completely at home in his presence.

_Dweeb, He's her father. Of course, she would be okay with him in the same room. _

"Shi," Kei jumped on over to Orochimaru," This is Father."

Orochimaru petted her head. "I see you've made a new friend."

"Nice to meet you," Shisui said, at a volume that was very much the opposite of Kei's manner of speaking. Shisui studied the Sanin with intent. So this was her Father? The more he looked at the towering man, the more he saw the similarities between the pair.

"And did you enjoy yourself with Yamanaka, Kei?"

"He's alright. He has a lot of pot plants."

It was true; that family had a particular fondness for cultivating plant life. Orochimaru at some point had a conversation the Yamanaka Head, Inosuru, about the functioning of flytrap acidity. That was one venture he had a slight interest in, more so for the amount of damage it potentially carried. Though, in order for the toxins to become effective, he would need to fill a couple of the training grounds.

"We must be on our way, alright?"

"Okay." Kei begrudgingly agreed as it was getting colder outside. The argument was still muddling in her hear. She squinted at Obito and then Shisui. "Father is better."

And with that declaration, Kei took Orochimaru's hand and took the lead, even though she still wasn't sure what direction to go in. Obito was the unfortunate soul who had to watch Shisui come up with comebacks on the way home. It was the rocky beginning of a beautiful friendship.

* * *

Hiruzen back faced Mon as he entered his personal office. Night had just set in and Mon was already tired from a very full on day of interacting.

"He's been waiting for you," The receptionist replied, ushering him past the main lobby and in the direction of the Hokage's office. It seemed as if the Hokage was ready to turn in for the night, with a sake set out and his hat placed carelessly on his desk. Subconsciously, Mon wondered if the man ever had the chance to go on holiday. Obviously, now wasn't the time with the war on but the very simple idea of leading drained Mon of any excitement about the role. He preferred to continue doing monotonous tasks.

Hiruzen took a long drag from his pipe. The past month had been somewhat of a headache, trying to sort out the political mess that was Orochimaru's sudden family. The ANBU who had been sent after Minato's team had only finished their final report that afternoon. It was made clear from the report that they made it out by the skin of their teeth, Minato's team. It could have gone terribly if things had not gone the way they did. It had taken a lot of diplomacy for the meeting of these two teams to be washed over. The whole war made Hiruzen want to go take a long, long and hot shower and never get out.

The lights from the lantern festival drowned the dark, making a clear path all the way to the entrance gate. Smoke billowed from Hizuren's nostrils.

Mon waved away the smoke. It bothered his lungs.

Hiruzen chewed on the end of the pipe and turned to face the Jounin. "Tell me Mon, what did you find out."

Mon stood that tiny bit straighter when reading. He cleared his throat. "My report is as follows: The subject has been referred to the practice after suffering a traumatic experience with a smuggling raid that has spilled into the south of Kawa. While at the moment it is unknown how large the bandit ring is or the length of time such a practice has taken place, it is evident that nefarious happenstance took place.

The subject in question is a four-year-old female who was directly involved in the incident. The Mother of the subject had been dismembered - whether this was done in the subject's presence is unknown at the moment. She refuses to divulge information pertaining to the attack, not that I think she is hiding anything Hokage but her mind has been through a lot and needs time to recover. I will need further opportunities to observe her interactions. I also think integration into a schooling environment will be beneficial for her mental development."

"Anything else?" He expected Orochimaru to enroll Kei into the Academy. He didn't have time to watch over a child with the war going on. Then again, he never thought his prodigy would face this possibility.

"She's very bright, and capable. I wouldn't be surprised if she tested as high as her Father at that age."

Hiruzen sat down at his desk, gripping the sides of his armchair. He thanked Mon for his time and sent the man off to be with his family. He swiveled around to continue looking out the window and blew more smoke about, deep in thought.

* * *

The next week of Kei's life in Konoha passed without much fanfare. While she was getting used to her new quarters, she spent most of her time between her Father's company and that of Shisui. It wasn't until the beginning of the following week that Kei was accepted into the academy. Because of her status - the elders had fought over whether she should be a refugee or citizen by association - it had taken a little bit longer than usual. She could only play with Shisui when he was done for the day.

Shisui had told her about the school, how everyone there who attended wanted to become shinobi, many of them hailing from influential families. Apparently, it was a very competitive environment and one needed to put their souls into their work as they represented their clans. (Shisui promised he'd help her out if she needed it.)

She remembered the face he pulled when she introduced him to Father.

Kei shook the thought off. Father was dropping her off for the day, as he had mentioned that he had other tasks to attend to.

"I'm off now," He said to her, leaving her in the office with the Chunin teacher, Maki.

"Goodbye..." Kei gave a small wave to him as he disappeared in a flurry of leaves. Maki sighed, thinking that now she had to clean that up when she got back.

Maki shook away the thought and smiled sweetly down at the child. "Well, now that we've said our goodbyes, let's get you to your new classroom, shall we Kei?"

* * *

Mon couldn't shake off his nerves when he knocked on the door. Orochimaru had met him at the doorway, inviting him inside. "Come in. I've just put on some tea."

_Tea would be really nice right now,_ Mon thought, hearing the door close behind him. "Thank you. I'm sorry to drop in like this, Lord Orochimaru but I was wanting to discuss your daughter's progress a bit. I'm assuming you read the initial assessment and figured that you would be the best person to gain information from about her habits. It could provide help in the future when assessing the functions of her mind when we transition to the next phase of therapy."

"Really?" Orochimaru quipped, hiding the smile on his lips. "Then please, let's move into the lounge. I have all day to talk."

* * *

**Happy Weekend Everybody!**

**I'm thinking of keeping a loose schedule, maybe every Sunday (Pacific time) I'll release something. **

**I want to say thank you for the amount of interest the story has received so far. It's more than I could ask for and you guys, I love the feedback that I'm getting. I love to get detailed responses, ones that you've really thought about. I don't know, I just feel happy that at least one person is getting a kick out of my imagination.**

**And to address _'s comment about Orochimaru: I feel that his character can be perceived as one-sided sometimes and because of that, he's a very malleable character to write about. I know the Anime shows a brief background to his character but I felt like there was a sort of missed opportunity to expand. **

**Anyway, I hope you keep enjoying my work. It's a great way for me to let off excess energy into something productive.**

**On a separate note: I learned that the Japanese word for Pear is Nashi. I've been saying Nashi pear my whole life. So essentially, I like pear pears. Felt like I was in the middle of having a shower thought when I figured that one out. It also reminded me of the way people ask for a panini all the time, but that's the plural version for a sandwich when the correct word for a singular sandwich would be panino. I love linguistics. **

**xxxx**


	3. Chapter 3: Winter's Passing

_**The Hatchling - Chapter 3**_

_**Winter's Passing**_

* * *

"Have you ever had, at any point, felt as if you were stuck in time?"

Kei was tending to Mon's pot plants.

A pause. A flash of shadows on concrete walls.

She turns her back to him.

"I do."

Mon wrote down on his notepad, sitting in his usual chair. He allowed clients to do as they pleased in the sessions, whatever it took to make them feel comfortable. Whether that be sitting or pacing, or watering decorative plants on the windowsill.

"Do you know what makes you become stuck? It could be a smell or a feeling?" Mon watched as the girl lifted the leaves of his potted fern to water the soil. "Do you ever get stressed?"

She had no answer for that. The memories were hazy, not like before. Mother was here, _surely_, but vocalization had yet become accessible in the pits of those memories.

* * *

Kei twisted her hair tightly into a knot, just as she locked the door behind herself. Winter had died off with the cold it brought and thus, the weeds along the boundary walls began to sprout. Father would probably want them cleaned before he arrived back from his mission work.

Living in Konoha both with her Father and by herself (he was out on missions a lot) taught Kei more about her happenstance. They lived in a section of Konoha where the houses looked like they needed a lot more than a good paint. Their own home revolved around a singular pillar that acted as the main support beam for the rest of the structure, cutting through two floors. The people here gravitate towards the summit of the village and thus, that's where most of the shops, buildings and the population of Konoha were situated. Father said he liked the quiet nature of the district.

_It suits him. _She thought, leaving the thought of chores in the dust, making her way through the derelict district.

She noticed it when she paid for the season's first bounty of tomatoes at the greengrocers, or when she spent her nights hidden in the library when Father wasn't there to keep an eye on her. The people here were secular with their senses. They ate up the attention of those who took up their time. Everything was busy and Kei, much to her annoyance, did not like that aspect. It took too much willpower, draining the energy she had previously set aside for studious tasks.

_I should meditate tonight._

The walk to the academy took her past the Yamanaka compound and onto the main strand, where she weaved past pairs of legs and baskets hanging from peoples' arms.

"Watch out kid!"

"Sorry!" She cried, never stopping her pace.

Kei made it to the door of her class, just as her sensei stepped in.

"Almost late Kei, what were you doing?"

She panted, leaning on her knees for support. "S-Sorry. I woke up late."

Metsuko-sensei motioned for her to hurry up and get on in there. The only seat available was located in the middle row, right in the corner that contained no windows for her to look out and daydream through. She sat down in a huff, slinging her satchel across the back of her chair.

"Good Morning class! I hope you had a good winter break!" Metsuko-sensei shouted with a smile. Not that the shouting was needed but he did it in a way to quiet the room. His braided hair swung in place every time he switched from addressing the class to writing kanji on the board. Shisui was unfortunately in a separate class to her since she arrived late into the scheduling year.

Metsuko scribbled the words _"Elemental Release States: Basics."_

Kei proceeded to groan internally and stare at the ceiling. If she wanted to know about -

The thought never processed properly, as the brief singe of chalk missed her nose, only to bounce off the backboard of the desk behind her and hitting the mousy boy next to her. The sound of his groaning in pain spanned her out of her daydream and she was met with a stare that said _shut up and listen._

She didn't make friends easily. She made acquaintances. She certainly made her fair share of people who didn't particularly like her, whether it was because of her (hideous, creepy and scary) eyes or how she never seemed to pay attention in class.

But the topic gave thought to her. _Do animals have elemental releases? Do the ninja who have passed retain their preferences? I guess it could be possible. The essence remains after passing, I don't see why it couldn't…..._

"You're away with the fairies Kei!" Metsuko-sensei yelled and Kei inched further down into her chair. "I'll see you in detention after the class ends today."

She sighed.

Lunchtimes were spent sitting under the trees that sat on the boundary of the academy. Most of the children liked to spend time eating in groups or playing 'kick the can'. Shisui always decided to stop by at least once during a game.

"I so kicked Dachi's butt in taijutsu class today! You should've seen it!"

"Kei, do you think you can come over to mine today?"

"What did you get on the test?! R-Really?!"

"Com' on Kei! Come play!"

Shisui noticed how Kei was missing from lunch. He shrugged to himself but didn't think much about it. He'd see her around tomorrow.

* * *

The Third watched as his student closed his eyes in frustration upon hearing that Kei had skipped out on her detention, the old man reflecting on Asuma's behavior during the academy.

"I'll go find her," Orochimaru expelled. "If she's anything like me, she's probably got her head in a scroll somewhere."

Hiruzen leaned back into his chair and simply smiled.

It was finding the quiet spots that made living in Konoha become special for Kei. The archive was one of the quietest in all of the village, impermeable by the sounds of spring birds and the hum that came with living in a dense populous. She had first been introduced to the library when Mon had taken her while on a session.

And if anybody ever asked, Kei always said that the Third had let her in, even if this excuse seemed a bit sketchy. Unfortunately, the man she was lying to was her Father and - fun fact - he always seemed to know when she was lying.

A whisper told her to look up. Her senses weren't the best so noticing Orochimaru plonk himself in the chair on the opposite side of the desk wasn't a given.

He looked at her with disdain. She went back to reading.

"Kei."

Her tiny fingers dug into the sides of the book. "...yes?"

Orochimaru sighed and pushed the book down so that the spine lay flat on the table. He had a very nice view of a shiner that was plastered on her face. "Who beat you up?"

"Nobody. I was trying out a jutsu and the force of it repelled my hand into my face." Kei said it with a shrug as if it didn't mean anything.

"Kei, you know you can't do unsupervised jutsus. What were to happen if you were injured and you were all alone?"

Kei thought for a moment with clenched teeth. "I….would summon a snake! And then they could get me help."

"You don't even know how to summon yourself to get out of _bed,_ let alone summon anything."

"Can you teach me?"

Orochimaru t'chd.

Without a chance to ask anything more of him, Orochimaru helped Kei return the books and scrolls to where she found them and left the archive.

* * *

It was funny, if not adorable. Being a quiet individual, Kei was blessed with the ability to be ignored. (Take that however you will.) Shisui, however, was not. Far from it. Obito once said the only reason that Shisui was quiet was when he was thinking about what to say next.

Because they were the nephews of Uchiha Mikoto, it meant that his brother's team was permitted to use the clan's training grounds. During that time, the pair would watch team Minato duke it out in all sorts of weather; then, in their own 'secret' hidey-hole - which was in the fenced area of the head clan's back yard, where Mikoto could watch while looking after her youngest. They spent the rest of their afternoons trying to replicate what they saw.

Today was no so different.

"Do you think he'll ever do anything?" Kei asked Shisui, as they peeked out of the bush.

"Huh, what do you mean?"

Kei pointer at the silver fellow, who ducked as Minato struck the air with a high kick. Seeing as Rin was on rotational work at the hospital training in her chosen career path, Minato decided to focus on disarming and countering ninjutsu with taijutsu and other similar strategies.

"Kakashi -" Shisui breathed out a 'huh' and stared at Kakashi more intently. " - Rin really likes him but he acts so _ooh I'm too cool for a relationship._"

"Oh, yeah..." Shisui stuck his head out of the bush and yelled loudly "KICK HIS ASS OBITOOOO." before retracting back like a turtle, grinning at Kei. "All I ever hear out of Obito's mouth is about Rin. I think he even keeps a group photo of his team by the bed."

Minato glanced over as he jumped to avoid Kakashi's raging fireball jutsu. Obito countered by cartwheeling across the trees for cover, hoping to draw his adversary into close combat. The jonin tapped out and teleported over to their hideout.

"Hey, hey, hey Minato-senpai! Let us fight today!"

Minato couldn't help but grin at the boy's request. Kei's usually stale face smiled quietly. For a second he thought he saw a glint in her eye. He looked back, watching the boys.

"Alright," He answered and while almost feeling like if they gave him those big old puppy eyes, he would probably agree to anything. Minato clapped his hands loudly. "Kakashi! Obito! Time to take a break!"

Obito sat down at the side of the turf with a huff, not thinking he had enough breath to do so. Kakashi, while considerably less fatigued, sat down next to him and drank from his canteen. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the children run towards the spot where they had previously been.

"Get ready!" Obito shouted. "I'm taking notes!"

"Watch me beat Kei!"

Kei rolled her eyes.

Minato acted as the umpire in these regular bouts. "Since we don't have Rin with us today, today's session will be taijutsu only." He rested his hands on his hips. "I want to see if you're _really_ paying attention!"

Neither moved when Minato shouted 'GO!". Kei watched as his eyes shifted like a kaleidoscope, from a deep oak brown to the vivid red that emblazoned his clan's clothing.

_Well, that's new._

Shisui made the decision to move as soon as Kei's attention was drawn to over his shoulder. It was just a flick, a small movement and that was enough for Shisui to get close to hitting her. Kei growled in her throat, knowing that he wouldn't have told her that he had gotten his Sharingan so that he could one-up her in a fight.

Kei sidestepped alongside the punch and grabbed the wrist that was aimed at her neck, pulling it further forward in its' directional path. Shisui, seeing that Kei was trying to throw him off, hooked his leg, grabbing onto Kei's waist. Kei ducked, letting the leg clip her back.

Shisui pirouetted back quickly, sprinting towards her lithe form. Kei focussed on the sound of his kicks hitting her arms as the protected her head. Until she ducked and shouldered him in a tackle.

He hissed at the contact, but Kei was off by an inch in her delivery. He ducked down and grabbed her waist, slamming her onto the ground, winding her.

"Time!" Minato called, signaling the end of the scuffle.

"How..." Kei huffed, rolling out from Shisui. "...is using a sharingan..._not _cheating?!"

Shisui thought himself a bit lucky and, in the same vein, sore from the tackle. He truly cherished his friendship with Kei, despite the lovely upset look she shot at him. He shrugged and offered a hand.

Kei got to her feet and settled herself again in a defensive stance, ready for all of his surprises this time.

* * *

Kei noted very early on in her childhood (even before she had relocated to Konoha) that Orochimaru liked the attention. He liked to show off, in his own style. She had been called the training ground closest to the academy, on the orders that she was not to get distracted on her way there. Kei tried to avoid the main processions of people that visited the main strand.

The air was heavy with burned wood when she arrived, or more like the coals underneath their furnace at home. It made the summer atmosphere almost unbearable and she wondered if Father had packed any sunscreen.

With him, were three genin, a few years older than herself. She wondered if he would be able to put up with them after the purple-haired one called her "scrawny."

Kei looked at her Father - shaking her head so that the nerves would disappear - and then introduced herself.

"I am Kei," She stated, in a louder tone than usual. "Nice to meet you. Please take care of Father."

A boy with thick-rimmed glasses, shaded by golden.

_Shin._

And another boy with opaque, pale eyes. _Hydrangea purple_, she thinks.

_Hideki_

A deep violet, monochrome girl.

_Anko_.

They spat like animals but the collective personalities felt nice.

* * *

Between the academy, the missions, the lectures, and voices, months passed with such ease. Time was a construct and a fickle thing to control. Even if Kei wanted to go back to Kawa, she couldn't. Even if she wanted Father to stay, she couldn't. So, knowing that, Kei fell into a rhythmic existence.

It was surprising to none when the young boy had approached her during lunchtime to tell her of his _big_ news. What was surprising was the headband that wrapped around his forehead, causing his fringe to curl over the edge of the material.

She was surprised at the rapid intensity that Uchiha Shisui brought when it came to success. At the tender age of six, he had become a formidable candidate for early acceptance-ship into Konoha's ranks. She was a little jealous at first - she figured it must be because of how well he is doing - but it never came from a place of that seething jealousy that she saw reflected in a lot of people when they traveled through the village. Kei wasn't keen to progress as quickly as Shisui but that didn't mean she didn't want to be left in the dust.

They made a promise of sorts to keep being friends. Their time was limited due to his transition into the working force but when it was just 'them' it was a precious new memory each time.

"And then, I dodged him and he fell face-first into the dirt!"

"Are you sure that wasn't you tripping?"

Shisui smiled widely, rubbing the back of his head. "I _so_ won that one!"

As the duo made it to the gates of the compound, Kei spotted an unfamiliar man exiting the house.

_Don't show it, don't stare. _

She tried to focus on the hairs of his chin. The way the hairs avoided growing around his scar. They were cut short, probably no longer than a day or two between shaves. But it just. Didn't. Work.

There was just so many following the man.

At first, she wondered if he had come from a funeral procession; his black attire wore stark against the faded and cracked yellow of the house. Funerals weren't for the dead. The living couple together to remember the one who passed without realizing that energy attracts spirits. They want to feel...well, anything really. Every once in a full moon she would sense something of the sort hovering close to a living being but for there to be six at one time really threw Kei in a loop. While she stood there with her stomach flopping to somewhere between her knees and the ground, she subconsciously held onto Shisui's arm

"Let's go," She said with a tug, leading him around to the back of the house. "Father will be home and he said I'll be able to sign the summons scroll today!"

Shisui looked back at the man. She'd been lost in her thoughts to the point of missing Shisui's consoling. He asked again, once they were finally in the backyard.

"What was that about?" He asked, his voice just above a whisper.

Kei shook her head.

He was still there when they went inside, the voice told her.

Shisui watched as Kei's father unfurled the summoning scroll, laying it on the soft grass. He memorized the way their crickety, old deck felt underneath his feet, how light the breeze was. He didn't want to move from this spot, the perfect view of Kei.

Who looked almost green in the face. Or maybe it was just the reflection of the grass on her skin.

"We sign our pledge in blood."

Kei nodded, feeling the tingling warmth in her fingertips. One of the things she learned from reading Orochimaru's notes was that preserving your chakra resources was imperative for survival. If you depleted your well too quickly or to the point of it being as dry as the Sand, it would cripple the user's natural chakra. She had planned to trial channeling her chakra into specific areas, to see how her body would react.

Blood dribbled from the tip of her finger, the kunai discarded to the wayside. Neatly as she could, Kei wrote her name onto the scroll, a fingerprint marking her proof.

"This is the first iteration of the summoning scroll I have been gifted," Orochimaru was kneeling down at her height. The blood dried quickly. "You have been granted the title of summoner by Lord Manda."

Kei blinked. "Will I have to tattoo my arm as well?"

Orochimaru chuckled lightly. "No, you silly child. I tattooed my arm as it gave me an upper hand in combat. You have no need for that kind of body mutilation yet, petal."

_Focus._

_Breathe in._

_Surge your chakra towards the center of your palms._

"Ready?"

With a curt nod of readiness, Kei flexed through the hand signs and slapped the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

The young Uchiha paled at the sight of the snake that emerged from the smoke plume. Its' green scales shimmered from the afternoon sun. He watched as Kei jumped down from its head next to Orochimaru, who smiled proudly. Shisui smiled back.

"I am Rata," Said the Veridian Vessel, acknowledging the presence of the scroll summoner. "I see you, Orochimaru." Rata licked the air, sensing the additional presence. "...you smell like a spring bird's nest, hatchling."

"Well, please don't eat me in that case," Kei replied, knowing that her actions were being studied by Father. "I am Kei."

She didn't know snakes could smile. Of course, Rata never actually smiled. Her voice was sensual and prone to pitching when excited about something. So, if she smiled, she could hear it in her voice.

"I see you, summoner Kei. Please call me if you're ever in a bind."

Kei stepped closer in fascination. She was beautiful.

"Well done." Orochimaru said, petting her head, to which she swatted away.

And the voice whispered: _He's still here._

* * *

**Happy Weekend Everyone! **

**Hope you have all been good. I've been surprised at the constant attention of the story, I honestly never expect much when I'm putting out a story. Sometimes it's just something that keeps replaying in my head so I have to write it out.**

**To Jessicazor: I'm following the really great but sometimes ambiguous timeline from here, but not to a T. There'll be changes (like ages of some characters etc) but mainly I'll try to adhere to it.**

**Again, thank you for reading this far. I appreciate all the **


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